Mechanically relayed movement for telegraph selector mechanism



April 3, 1934. R. G. GRIFFITH 1,953,066

MECHANICALLY RELAYED MOVEMENT FOR TELEGRAPH SELECTOR MECHANISM Sept 9' RONALD G. GRIFFITH Patented A r; 3, 1934 MEGHANICALLY RELAYED MOVEMENT FOB TELEGRAPH SELECTOR MECHANISM Ronald George Griffith, Croydon, England, asslgnor to Creed and Company, Limited, Greydon, England Application September 9, 1932, Serial No. 632,356 In Great Britain June 11, 1932 Claims. (01. 17s 33) This invention relates to a mechanically relayed movement which is particularly suitable for telegraph signalling mechanism.

Mechanically relayed movements in which a 5 controlled member is actuated by a source of mechanical power from one to another position in accordance with one or another position of a controlling member have a wide field of application in signalling systems and particularly in start-stop telegraph signal transmitting and signal receiving apparatus. The present invention provides a movement of this type which is readily adaptable to various purposes, can be rendered positive in operation and has manufacturing advantages.

The accompanying drawing shows a developed example of a movement according to the invention as applied to two different purposes in a keyboard controlled signal transmitter which is otherwise fully described in U. S. Patent No. 1,921,407, out of which'the present application is divided. For the first purpose a number of cams for effecting the relayed movements are mounted on a common shaft for effecting the simultaneous transferof the setting of one series of members inaccordance with the elements of 'a signal combination to another series of members. For the second purpose illustrated, a number of cams are mounted on a common shaft and arranged to actuate a single controlled member in succession in accordance with the setting of a series of controlling members and forms a species of mechanical distributor, the functions of which arewell known in the art.

Essentially the invention comprises a controlling member operable between one and another position, a lever operable thereby in a longitudinal direction, a cam operable by a source of me chanical powerfor actuating said lever at right angles to said longitudinal direction, and a controlled member actuated or not actuated by said cam through said lever in accordance with one or other position to whichit has been moved.

The preferred embodiment of the invention provides a positive type of action in both directions of movement of the controlled member and comprises a controlling member operable between oneand another position, two levers longitudinally movable thereby in opposite directions respectively, a cam operable by mechanical power for one. cycle of movement for each operation "and simultaneously actuating said two levers laterally in opposite directions respectively, and a controlled member actuated in one or the other .direction by said cam through a correspondin one or the other of said two levers in accordance with the position of said controlling member.

The transmitter shown in the drawing although fully described in the above mentioned U. S. patent will now be described briefly whilst the feature which forms the subject matter of the present application is more fully indicated, similar reference numerals being employed to those of the prior application. Referring to the drawing, each of a number of key-levers 1, 2 is adapted on depression to set longitudinally a series of combination bars 3-7, a case determining bar 8 and a universal bar 9. These bars 3--9 rock a corresponding series of three-armed members 11-46 and 36 shaft 27 so that on rotation of the shaft the levers of each pair are simultaneously actuated laterally in opposite directions on the pivotal points of the respective arms of the three-armed members against the action of a spring 34. The shaft 2'7 is arranged to be coupled under control of clutch 37 to a driving shaft 35 which is rotated at a suitable speed through gear 136, the clutch 3'? being released on each actuation of universal bar 9 to rotate shaft 27 for half a revolution only on each actuation of the universal bar.

Immediately shaft 27 commences rotation each of the pairs of depending levers l8 and 19 ismoved in an outward direction against the abutting faces of the notches 20 in the corresponding bars 21--26 to actuate the bars positively in one or the other direction. The setting of bars 38 is thus transferred by mechanical power to bars 2l-2 6. The first five of these bars in turn rock another series of three-armed members i1-l5 independently pivoted on rod 46 each member also moving a pair of vertically extending levers 4'7 and 48 longitudinally in opposite directions into and out of operative relation respectively with one or another of two parallel bars 55 and 56 fixed at their ends to side plates 51 pivoted at 58 and actuating a contact lever 60 pivoted at 61 between two contact screws 62 and 63, a spring 64 holding the contact lever in one or the other position until actuated therefrom. Between each of the pairs of levers 47 and 48 is also a corresponding cam 50-54each cam as before having two diametrical- 1y opposed projections, but in this case each cam is fixed to a common shaft 49 at different angular positions so that each of the series of levers is actuated outwards at successive intervals during each half revolution of the shaft 4'7 to actuate one or the other of the rods 55 or 56 according to which ever lever 47 or 48, in each pair has been brought into operative relation with its horizontal rod 55 or 56. This arrangement forms a species of mechanical distributor for the transmission of signal elements in accordance with the settings of the bars 21-25.

The camshaft 49 for the transmitter shown in the drawing is mounted on a driving shaft 70 which is continuously rotated at the proper signalling speed through gear '78 and is driven therefrom under control of a clutch '71 which is released by arms '72 and '73 for rotation of half a revolution at each actuation of an arm '76 by a cam '78 on the first mentioned shaft 27. An additional pair of levers 6'7 and 68 are pivoted on the arms of a further three-armed member 69 which is fixed. on rod 46 so that both levers are always in operative relation with horizontal rods 55 and 56 respectively, each lever of this pair being operated by suitable projections on an individual cam situated on shaft 49 in relation to cams 5054 to effect the invariable actuation of contact lever 60 in opposite directions at the commencement and end respectively of each series of permutation signal elements as effected by cams 50-54. During each half revolution of shaft 49, therefore, the contact lever 60 is actuated to transmit in succession an invariable start element followed by five permutation elements and a final stop element.

The functions of the remaining parts shown in the drawing are fully described in the U. S. Patent No. 1,921,407 referred to above, and as they neither perform any essential part in the feature which forms the subject matter of the present application nor assist in the comprehension of this feature, it need only further be remarked that the object of cam sleeve 84 with cams 8'7 and 88 clutched to shaft '70 by clutch 85 and released for successive half-revolutions at each actuation of bar 26 as controlled by case determining bar 8, is to effect the actuation of contact lever 60 to transmit an appropriate case signal on each depression of a key lever on change of case, whilst the signal combination corresponding to the depressed key is stored in the setting of the series of members 21-25 until completion of the case signal. The cam shaft 27 for this purpose is arrested through arm 94, actuated by a cam 92 on sleeve 84 during the transmission of a case signal at a position after the transfer of the signal combination to bars 21-25 and before the release of shaft 49, by arm '76 falling from the raised portion of cam '78. Keyboard locking means 83 is also shown operated by this cam '78.

From what has been said above it will now be clear that the mechanically relayed movement which forms the subject matter of the present application consists essentially of a controlling member such as bar 3 or 21 for instance, a lever such as 18, 19, 4'7 or 48 operated longitudinally thereby, an actuating cam such as 28. or 50 operating the lever at right angles to the longitudinal selecting movement, and a corresponding controlled member 21, 25 or 56 actuated by the cam through the lever in accordance with the position of the controlling member. The preferred embodiment as shown in the drawing wherein two levers are simultaneously actuated by the cam in opposite directions to actuate positively the controlled member in one or another direction, is a developed example of the principle involved and is seen to consist of parts which can readily be constructed of stampings or other easily manufactured elemental portions. Although for convenience in illustrating the device to which the whole drawing refers, the series of movements involved in the transfer mechanism and the mechanical distributor above described are widely spaced along the direction of the respective camshafts 2'7, 49, it will be appreciated that the design and mode of operation of these movements permit a very close spacing if desired which renders it possible to produce a very compact assembly when a number of such movements are thus required.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member operable between one and another position, a two-position lever operable thereby in a direction longitudinal of its length from one position to the other, a cam operable by a source of mechanical power for actuating said lever at right angles to said longitudinal direction, and a controlled member actuated or not actuated by said cam through said lever moving in a direction at right angles to said longitudinal direction in accordance with the one or other position to which said lever has been moved.

2. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member operable between one and another position, two levers longitudinally movable thereby in opposite directions respectively, a cam operable by mechanical power for one cycle of movement for each operation and simultaneously actuating said two levers laterally in opposite directions respectively, and a controlled member actuated in one or the other direction by said cam through a corresponding one or the other of said two levers in accordance with the position of said controlling member.

3. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism comprising, a controlling member operable between one and another position, a pivoted rocking member having oppositely extending arms and movable by said controlling member, two parallel levers pivoted at one end to said oppositely extending arms respectively, a controlled member engageable by the free end of either of said two levers respectively in accordance with the position of said controlling member, and a cam rotatable by mechanical power through a predetermined angle for each operation and actuating said two levers simultaneously in opposite directions.

4. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member operable between one and another position, a pivoted rocking member having oppositely extending arms and movable by said controlling member, a cam having diametrically disposed projections, two parallel levers pivoted at one end to said oppositely extending arms respectively and arranged on diametrically opposite sides of said cam, spring means maintaining said two levers in engagement with said cam and a controlled member engageable by the free end of either of said two levers respectively in accordance with the position of said controlling member.

5. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member longitudinally movable in opposite directions, a pivoted rocking member having two oppositely extending arms and a third arm disposed at right angles thereto and engageable by said controlling member, a cam having diametrically disposed projections, two parallel levers each pivoted at one end to one of said oppositely extending arms respectively and extending on opposite sides of and beyond said cam, spring means maintaining said two levers in engagement with said cam, and a controlled member engageable by the free end of either of said two levers respectively in accordance with the position of said controlling member.

6. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member operable between one and another position,'a pivoted rocking member having oppositely extending arms and movable by said controlling member, two parallel levers pivoted at one end to said oppositely extending arms respectively, a rotatable cam disposed. between said two parallel levers, and a controlled member having abutments engageable by one on the other of said two parallel levers on actuation by said cam.

'7. A mechanically relayed movement for telegraph signalling mechanism and comprising a controlling member longitudinally movable in opposite directions, a pivoted rocking member having two oppositely extending arms and a third arm disposed at right angles thereto and engageable by said controlling member, a cam having diametrically disposed projections, two parallel levers each pivoted at one end to one of said oppositely extending arms and extending on opposite sides of and beyond said cam, spring means maintaining said two levers in engagement with said cam, and a controlled member having abutments engageable by one or the other of said two parallel levers on actuation by said cam.

8. In a telegraph signalling selector mechanism, a cam having two actuating projections, two parallel levers each pivoted at one end and extending on diametrically opposite sides beyond said cam, a pivoted member to which said parallel levers are pivotally connected on opposite sides of the pivot point of said member, and controlled means actuated in one or another direction by said cam through a corresponding one or the other of said two levers and said pivoted member.

9. In a printing telegraph apparatus, a transfer mechanism having a series of independent controlling members, a corresponding series of pairs of pivoted levers each pair operable longitudinally thereby in opposite directions, a corresponding series of controlled members, a shaft, and a series of cams thereon having projections disposed to actuate said series of controlled members simultaneously through one or the other of 100 each said pair of levers in one or the other corresponding directions.

10. In a printing telegraph apparatus, a relayed movement for a mechanical distributor mechanism and having a series of pairs of levers each 105 pair operable longitudinally in opposite directions, a driving shaft, and a series of cams corresponding to said series of pairs of levers each cam having two diametrically disposed projections and angularly disposed on said shaft to ac- 110 tuate said pairs of levers in sequence.

RONALD GEORGE GRIFFITH. 

